Executive Summary

At the beginning of the semester, we were tasked with creating an implementation ready campaign for the Frederick Douglass Institute. We were given a client brief that faced us with the challenges of increasing awareness and event attendance as well as educating underrepresented minority and first-generation college students and rebranding and improving the Slippery Rock University chapter's Frederick Douglass Institute website. 

 

We met with Slippery Rock University's Frederick Douglass Institute director, Dr. Franklyn Charles, in early September. He reiterated the organization's current struggles and then our team could move forward with the questions we had at the time. Because this organization is for the benefit of underrepresented minority and  first-generation Slippery Rock University students, we learned that to understand the wants and needs of students better, we first need to hear from them. 

 

We needed to conduct research to put our best foot forward with the campaign. Our team knew the need for more awareness of Slippery Rock University's Frederick Douglass Institute. Still, we wanted to gain students' perspective on campus and their understanding of the university's chapter. We held a focus group of six underrepresented minority and first-generation students and issued a survey that received 218 responses, 103 being underrepresented minority and first-generation students. These research tools allowed us to gain valuable insights into the campaign's next steps. 

 

Many insights and helpful pieces of knowledge were gained through our research. Our research shows that students feel that enough education is provided about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; however, there needs to be more promotion for the organizations and events surrounding these topics. It was also brought to our attention that if an event is more personalized toward students, they would be more likely to attend because they feel heard. Lastly, it is not always that students have no interest in attending events; it is that they do not have time.  

 

We created “Perceptive, Progressive, Personal: Three Pillars to an Inclusive Campus” with these insights. The campaign is solely focused on the notion that all student journeys, ethnicities, and stories must be heard. Our team's campaign will work around students' busy schedules and celebrate underrepresented minority and first-generation stories while educating the entirety of Slippery Rock University students, staff and faculty. 

 

This portfolio spotlights the materials needed to bring Perceptive, Progressive, Personal campaign to life. It holds all tactical and research materials needed to have our ideas become a fully functional campaign. 

 

Lastly, we want to thank Dr. Charles for this opportunity. It has been a pleasure to develop a campaign to benefit the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging education on Slippery Rock University's campus and create a space within the Frederick Douglass Institute for underrepresented minorities and first-generation college students. 

 

Sincerely,

Sophie Varndell, Ansley Simmen, Nybert Samuels and Hannah Major